Monday, March 28, 2016

Insect And Disease Control in South Florida

Spring is a time of new growth in your garden, on your lawn and among your trees. Unfortunately some of that new life in your greenery is not of the budding kind. It is disheartening to go to inspect your garden in the morning, only to find holes in your plant leaves, eaten at night by some unwelcome creature. Luckily, the pests that eat your plants leave telltale signs in their chewing patterns, meaning you can easily figure out what you’re up against and fight back accordingly.

So something is eating holes in plant leaves. What could it be? Sucking insects poke tiny holes in leaves and draw the juices out of them. Common sucking insects include aphids, squash bugs, and spider mites.Leaf miners burrow twisting tunnels across leaves. Sawflies chew holes that don’t go all the way through the leaf, making it look intact but transparent.

Caterpillars of a huge number of varieties may be drawn to your plants. You will recognize their feeding as irregular holes in leaves. Slugs and snails will also feast on your plant leaves. Snails and slugs are a couple of a gardener’s worst enemies. Their feeding habits can decimate the vegetable garden and ornamental plants.

You have your flying bugs, your crawling bugs, your stay–in–the–ground bugs. Not all are bad. Ladybugs, and praying mantises eat the bugs that eat your plants. Bumble bees help your flowers and trees pollinate. They also attract birds, which eat all sorts of bugs, too. Be careful to keep the good guys in your garden while you control the pests.

Keep in mind that the 95 percent of garden visitors are either helpful or harmless. Beneficial insects include ladybugs, lacewings and many others. What is more, do not forget the pollinators. Bees, moths, butterflies, wasps and beetles all play a role in pollination.

But problem bugs must be dealt with. Insects can cause considerable damage to trees and shrubs. By defoliating trees or sucking out their sap, insects retard their growth, weakening and sometimes killing them. By boring into the trunk and branches, they interfere with sap flow and weaken the tree structure to a point where it may be easily blown over by the wind. Insects may also carry pathogens or provide an entry way for fungi, bacteria, or viruses.

Some insects are beneficial rather than destructive; they may help with pollination or act as predators of more harmful species. Therefore, killing all insects without regard to their kind and function can actually be detrimental to tree health.

Disease may damage your trees beyond repair. You must treat disease right away to prevent disease from spreading to other trees and destroying your landscape. The sooner you start treatment the better chance for saving your trees and plants and restoring them to full health.

Our professional arborists will determine the cause of the infection of trees and plants on your property.We will discuss with you an environmentally sound treatment plan to treat your sick trees and plants and protect the healthy ones from infection.

Treatment for disease needs to be performed under a specific schedule. The time of year, species of plant, the particular disease and other issues all factor into the treatment plan. Our certified total plant healthcare experts will design and implement a plan that is right for your individual needs.

Catching problems early may minimize the amount of treatment, allowing for better results and saving you a good deal of money. Ensure the beauty and health of your property by inspecting your property frequently and taking action as soon as you see a problem.